Ylenia Chiari

My research focuses on the factors that determine speciation and morphological evolution in amphibians and reptiles. I am interested in understanding the genetic and environmental contributions to phenotypic diversity and the evolutionary forces that shape phenotypic variation, particularly in terms of morphology. Morphological traits are often the complex product of many genes, developmental pathway(s), and environmental conditions. In my research I combine different scientific fields such as zoology, molecular biology, morphometrics, ecology, and computer science in order to characterize phenotypic variation and tease apart the various evolutionary mechanisms (e.g., selection, mutation, demography, plasticity, developmental/ mechanical constraints) that lead to morphological and molecular diversity. My current research projects focus on factors influencing the different shell morphologies in Galápagos tortoises (genus Chelonoidis) and on identifying patterns of speciation and genetic diversification in Sardinian cave salamanders (genus Hydromantes).